Re: Re :

On Fri, 8 Oct 1999, C. Tsuchiya wrote:

> "From Http://Members.Aol.Com/Lassailly/Tunuframe.Html" wrote:
> > <major snippage>
> >
> > speaking a language identifies with an community.
> > making a language is tantamount to denying the community.
> >
> This really struck a chord with me. I've always been quite an introvert,
> even a misanthrope. I have often consciously rejected community,
> although it hadn't occurred to me that my conlanging activity might be
> an expression of that desire. I am not suggesting that this is the next
> conlanger's purpose, but it resonates with me.
>
> On the other hand, I also agree with others who have cited the sheer
> effort that it would take a non-conlanger to appreciate a conlang. It's
> not quite parallel to having an aesthetic sense about natural languages.
> I, for one, enjoy working on my languages but I'm not fluent in speaking
> any of them. I can't just rattle off even the simplest phrases.
> Therefore I have nothing to offer the non-linguistic person for purposes
> of accessible aesthetic appreciation. But with natlangs, one can readily
> find sources of the speech, or the script, and so have a chance at that
> non-informed but aesthetic appreciation. That's one reason I've begun to
> more seriously add cultural elements around my conlang and include them
> on the web page. Since that text is still in English, a non-linguist can
> take it in without too much effort.
I don't know.  I'm in an office with a large number of linguists (we all
teach English and share an office) and from time to time I'll write
something in Hatasoe on the board.  Lately, I just invented a script, and
there's been some real appreciation -- even advice! -- among both the
linguists and non-linguists in the office.  It really impressed them when
someone wrote "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom" on the
board, and under it, in both Latin letters and Hatasoe script, I wrote
"puapea nepete ranehua si tetea sheoe."  No, none of them can read it, but
they seem to be able to appreciate it (which isn't to say that they don't
think I'm weird -- the linguists keep trying to convert me!).